Presentation of Female Virtues in Gdańsk Art as Seen Against Preachers’ Texts and Moralistic Literatur

Abstract

Virtuous life was an ideal for every member of an Early Modern European society. Both men and women had different virtues to be characterized with. For women it was most important to be pious, chaste and obedient. From 16th century onwards, the num‑ber of treatises advising how to achieve moral excellence and their popularity increased. Treatises directed at women belonged to this genre. The article examines whether they were known in Early Modern Gdańsk and shows their influence on moralistic literature and literature for preaching, such as Johann Botsack Moralia Gedanensia from 1699 and Nathanael Letius Dodecas Thesium Matrimonialium published in the first decade of the 18th century. Its aim was also to show representations of primary womanly virtues and prominent women from the Old Testament and Ancient Rome’s history serving as exem‑pla, such as Judith, Esther, Lucretia and Veturia especially in the public space in Saint Mary’s Church, Saint John’s Church, and in the Artus Court.